Building tile



Aug. 17, 1937.

- L. M. CHRISTIE .5 AL 7 BUILDING TILE Filed March 25, 1935 2 Shets-Sheet 2 f 1 I v r x i 1 I m 1 I I/ I I/ I l Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES BUILDING TILE Llewellyn M. Christie, Pittsburgh, Pa.,

and

Charles H. Bell, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignors to National Fireproofing Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 23, 1935, Serial No. 12,699

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in building blocks or hollow tile, and more particularly such as are provided with a convenient grip to facilitate handling and laying, commonly known as speed tile.

The present invention contemplates a tile structure of substantial wall sections having hollow pockets to combine maximum strength with minimum weight, this being particularly true of the center or web portion in the region of the handle member. The invention further provides interrupted surfaces for the contacting portion of the tile, namely, the mortar joints to prevent moisture passing through the joints while permitting the ready application of the mortar by the builder, the tile being designed for use with headers, cross-tiles, turning corners and the like.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from a description of the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of one form of tile embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2, a View in vertical section of a group of tile to form a wall;

Fig. 3, a view in perspective of a group illustrating a modified form of the tile shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a view in perspective of the form of tile of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5, a vertical section of a tile with a modified grip or web portion.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings,

the block or tile comprises a base portion I of elongated shape having upstanding end portions 2 and 3 at its side extremities. Additional upstanding portions 4 cooperate with the end portions 2 and 3 in parallel relation and are joined thereto by cross-members 5. A transverse web 6 extends across and is connected with members 4 and a Vertical web I connects members I and 6. Centrally of the block projecting upwardly from web 6 is a hollow grip or handle 8 of substantially dove-tail form, the inwardly flared faces 9 of which provide a firm grip for handling the block. Dove-tailed grooves Ill are provided as shown to form recesses for the mortar II, Fig. 2, which produces a maximum surface contact of the mortar and blocks and reduces the numeral 14. When the block or tile is assembled as shown in Fig. 2, a space I5 is formed between adjacent blocks so that while the vertical web portions are of substantial thickness, the block is of minimum weight and conveniently handled.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a base portion I6 is provided with uprights I1 and webs l8 parallel to the uprights I! with connecting portions I9 forming hollow chambers 20. Cross-web 2| extends between the webs l8, and a grip or handle 26 of substantially cylindr1ca1 shape extends Vertically upward from the 'crossweb 2|. Handle 22 is hollow as shown at 23.

The mortar surface of the tile is also provided with dove-tailed grooves 24 as in the blocks shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 3 shows a block having an additional vertical web portion 25 forming spaced end chambers 26 and 21, otherwise the block of Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 4.

The cylindrical grip or handle 22 has the same underflared gripping characteristics of the dovetail shaped handle 8 of Fig. 1. The handles 8 and 22 with the cross-webs on which they are supported greatly strengthen the mid-section of the tile or block without increasing the weight and there are no sharp corners or edges on the grip-ping members that might cause injury to the workmen.

In the form of tile shown in Fig. 5 a central vertical web 29 of substantial width is provided with a hollow center 30 and terminates in a flared grip 3| of dove-tail shape at the top. This form is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 excepting that the hollow portion extends through the web and grip without sacrificing strength of section.

We claim:

1. A hollow building tile comprising a body portion of hollow side sections and a pair of vertically spaced horizontal webs intermediate the side sections, the lower one of which forms a base with the side sections and the upper one being spaced in a vertical plane below the top of said side sections, and a handle portion upstanding from the upper horizontal web centrally of the side sections, said handle portion being hollow and having its wall section of substantially the same thickness as the walls and web sections of said building tile.

2. A hollow building tile comp-rising a body portion of hollow side sections, and a pair of vertically spaced horizontal webs intermediate the side sections, the lower one of which forms a base with the side sections and the upper one being spaced in a vertical plane below the top of said side sections, a vertical web disposed between said horizontal webs centrally of the hollow side sections, and a hollow handle portion of dove-tail shape upstanding from the upper horizontal web, the walls of said handle portion being of substantially the same thickness as the webs and walls of the building tile.

3. A hollow building tile comprising a body portion of hollow side sections, there being two hol- 10 low sections on each side of the tile, a pair of vertically spaced horizontal webs intermediate the side sections, the lower one of which being in substantially a common plane with the lower walls of the side sections, and the upper one of 15 which is vertically spaced from the top walls of said side sections, and a hollow handle portion upstanding from the upper horizontal web centrally of said side sections, having a wall thickness of substantially the same cross-sectional area as the walls and webs of said hollow tile.

4. A hollow building tile comprising a body portion of hollow side sections and a pair of vertically spaced horizontal webs intermediate the side sections, the lower one of which forms a base with the side sections and the upper one being spaced in a vertical plane below the top of said 'sidesections, and a handle portion upstanding from the upper horizontal web centrally of the side sections, said handle portion being hollow and having its wall section of substantially the same thickness as the walls and web sections of said building tile and said handle being disposed entirely within the space between the upper horizontal web and the top of the building tile.

LLEWELLYN M. CHRISTIE. CHAS. H. BELL. 

